AIEA-EAIE TransAtlantic Dialogue
Hotel Bildungszentrum 21, Basel Switzerland
Sept 10-12, 2006
Coordinators:
Bill Davey
Director of International Programs
Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost of the University
Arizona State University
Dennis Dutschke
Dean of Studies
Center for Education Abroad
Arcadia University
Hans-Georg van Liempd
Director of International Office
Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Participants
Association of International Education Association - AIEA (North America, USA)
Lawrence H. Bell
Director, Office of International Education
University of Colorado at Boulder, CO
Uliana Gabara (President of AIEA)
Dean and Carole M. Weinstein Chair of International Education
Office of International Education
University of Richmond, VA
Lyn Lawrance
Associate Provost for International Programs International Programs Center
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC
Kris Lou
Director, International Education
Assoc. Prof., International Studies
Willamette University, Salem, Oregon
H Stephen Straight
Prof. of Anthropology & of Linguistics; Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education &
International Affairs
Binghamton University, State University of New York
Joseph D. Tullbane
Associate Dean for International Education/
Director of the Center for International Education
St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI
Participants
European Association of International Education - EAIE (Europe)
Bjorn Einer Aas (Vice President of EAIE)
University of Bergen, Norway
Timo Ahonen
Chair IRM EAIE
Head of International Relations
Lahti University of Applied Sciences
Lahti, Finland
John Andersen
University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Dr Robert Coelen
Vice-President International
Leiden University,The Netherlands
Dr. Ursula Hans
International Office
Humboldt University, Berline, Germany
Fiona Hunter (President of EAIE)
Director of the Office of International Relations
Università Carlo Cattaneo, Castellanza, Italy
Antonio Luna
Academic Coordinator International Study Abroad Program
Universitat Pompeu Fabra International Campus
Barcelona Spain
Lene Rehder
International Coordinator
International Office
Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus, Denmark
Email: ler@asb.dk
Antoinette Charon Wauters (President of EAIE)
Head of International Relations
University of Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland
Michael Woolf
President
Foundation for International Education
London, UK
Topics of discussion:
Higher Education Systems in Europe and USA
Brief introduction to the different systems
Fiona Hunter spoke about the European Qualifications Framework: a new way to
understand qualifications across Europe:
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/eqf/index_en.html
The New Three-Year Degree in Europe
Evolving status of the new degree program in Europe.
Resistance to change by students, parents, faculty, universities.
Effect on mobility of students, graduation, graduate studies, employability
Differences between the European three-year degree and the American four-year
degree; different secondary education, and General Education in the USA.
Equivalence of three-year degree to the four-year degree in USA.
Recognition of three-year degree for graduate studies in USA.
Role of admissions offices and faculty in accepting three-year degree.
Action Item: Statement to accrediting agencies (e.g. American Association of
Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers - AACRAO:
http://www.aacrao.org/) to encourage them to accept the three-year degree for
graduate studies in the United States. Uliana Gabara wrote a draft statement.
The Use of English as Lingua Franca in European Universities and the Marketing of
Higher Education
Predominance of English as teaching language in Northern Europe.
Tension in universities, with concern about losing national language.
American students need to study language and culture on study abroad.
Joint, Dual, Double, Shared Degrees, and Collaboration between European and
American universities
General discussion describing the different types of mutual degrees.
Very few joint, double, shared degrees (SUNY Binghamton and Turkey).
Double degrees are easier than joint degrees: Indiana Univ. and Germany; St.
Norbert and Japan; double degree (masters level) between Tilburg University
and Bilkent University (Turkey).
And as an example of national and university legal restrictions you can add that in
the Netherlands it is not allowed to have a joint degree diploma (yet).
Challenge of finding a bench-mark institution as a partner.
National and university legal restrictions.
Advantages to students: two degrees instead of one, more educational and
research opportunities.
Advantages to universities: more educational and research opportunities; pool
resources; prestige of partnership.
Action Item: Guidelines for joint, dual, double, shared degrees, with examples, to
be posted on the TransAtlantic Dialogue website.
Course Equivalences and Grading for Students Studying Abroad
The Bologna Process, and European Credit Transfer System (ECTS): mobility of
students within Europe and with USA.
Challenges in converting credit and grades for American colleges and
universities.
Variety of ways that American universities grant or do not grant credit and grades
for study abroad.
Role of international offices in granting credit and grades.
Importance of institutional linkages and collaboration in learning about
educational systems, gaining trust and confidence to grant credit and grades.
Role of faculty and staff exchanges for student exchanges.
Assessment tools and quality review (American Council on Education, Forum)
Action Item: expand the networking of the TransAtlantic Dialogue to educate
universities about their academic programs.
Research and Collaboration between European and American Universities
Combine research with educational student mobility.
Alliance of research universities that focuses on research and education for
undergraduate and graduate students, including mobility of faculty and students.
Alliances may include business and corporate partners.
Major federal research grants in the USA require educational exchange of
students.
Health, Safety and Liability in Study Abroad and Exchanges
Different approaches by Europeans and Americans.
There is a general understanding that universities (in USA and Europe) need to
have a health/safety policy. There is a legal and moral responsibility.
Communication is important between USA and European partners, to ascertain
what is possible with regards to health and safety.
Health and safety issues must be part of the collaboration/exchange between
European and American universities.